It started innocently enough. The first one was free. So you tried it. And you liked it. And you wanted more. So you went back, this time handing over $1.99. It was good, but it could have been better, so you tried one for $6.99.

Before you knew it, your smartphone began to resemble a sort of third-rate strip mall, a hodgepodge of how to speak Thai, how to win at poker, how to properly carve a turkey. Your reliance on applications didn’t pass unnoticed, but you began making excuses, saying you were just downloading them for a friend.

As an app-aholic, downloading apps began to affect your life negatively in the following ways: You were recklessly wasting precious megabytes on your phone, you were spending more than any man should on ‘80s arcade games, and you were leading an all-around disorganized mobile existence that was affecting your work performance.

Don’t give up, though. There is help, and it only takes three or four steps to bring order back to your iPhone or Android device. Read on to find out how to restore organization to your smartphone’s applications.

Cut Ties With the Past

That Bubblewrap app certainly provided you with hours of mindless fun, but that was three years ago. It’s time to let go of the past and move on. Delete it. It’s simply doing you no good on page 8 of your apps screen.

Call it tough love, but it’s a good idea to habitually go through your apps and get rid of ones that no longer provide any meaningful function. If you haven’t used an app in six months, cut it loose. If you find you need it again, you can always reinstall it on your phone without having to pay for it again.

There’s a Folder for That

The iPhone and Android devices have a super handy feature that allows you to group similar apps into a folder. This greatly reduces the overall clutter and sprawl that got you into this predicament in the first place, and it helps you quickly locate an app when you need it instead of having to scroll through numerous pages.

With the iPhone, simply touch one of the apps you’d like to add to a folder, wait for it to shake and then place it on top of another similar app and both will be added to the new folder. Simple as that, and each folder can hold 12 apps on the iPhone. Using this system, all of your apps could fit on just one screen.

Edit Before You Get It

Don’t be afraid to edit your app purchases before you make them, the same way you would weigh the pros and cons before buying anything. Sure, they’re cheap enough to buy on a whim, but so is malt liquor. Just because something is cheap doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.

If you’re confident the app will make communicating with co-workers or customers better, then go for it. If you think it might be good for only one or two uses, hold off.

It’s easy for life and work to get a bit messy every now and again. An easy way to begin regaining some order can simply start with your smartphone.